Process of making insulators.



No. 848,352 PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.. L. MQGARTHY.

PROCESS OF MAKING INSULATORS.

APPLICATION IILBD MAR. 23. 1906.

@oarneys LOUIS MeCARTHY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROCE$S OF MAKING INSULATORS- Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedFeb. 5, 1907.

Application filed March 8, 1906. Serial No. 304,828.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof,at 3 and 4 are shown the two metallic coupling members, separated by alayer of insulation 5 and having their flanges (not shown in thedrawings) covered with an exterior layer of insulation 6. These partsare of ordinary construction, and the layer of insulation 6 may beapplied before or after the insertion of the interior lining ofinsulation by my process, as is most convenient. The insulating-couplingis made up into the condition shown in Fig. 1, it being with or withoutthe exterior covering 6, as is most convenient before the interiorinsulatinglining is applied. The separating layer 5, which may bepreferably of sheetmica or other suitable insulation, is shown asprojecting slightly into an annular recess 7. The workman first screwsinto each end of the pipe-coupling suitable collars S and 9, which formshoulders 10 and 11, which serve to confine and shape the interior bandof insulation. The workman then takes the insulating-coupling andinserts manually sufficient insulating material in a plastic state orcondition to form the desired insulatingring. This plastic material isshown at 12. This insulating material may be made plastic by heat, inwhich case I find it desirable to have both the insulating-coupling andthe mandrel heated, in order that the insulating material may not becooled and hardened before it is subjected to pressure. The workman theninserts in the upper collar 8 a mandrel 13, having a very slight taperat its lower end and having a diameter for the remainder of its lengthequal to the desired diameter of the interior of the finishedinsulating-ring. The workman then places the insulator and mandrel onthe lower die 14 of a press, this lower die being provided with a hole15 to receive the lower end of the mandrel and also to receive anyexcess of insulating material. The upper die 16, coming from thefollowing description, taken in conin contact with the head 17 of themandrel nection with the accompanying drawings, 13,forces the mandreldown through the insuand the novel features are pointed out andlating-coupling and the tapered portion clearly defined in the claims atthe close of thereof drives the insulating material 12 into thespecification. the annular recess formed between the two Referrin to thedrawings, Figure 1 shows 1 collars S and 9 and the interior of thecoupthe method of forming the interior band of ling members 3 and 4. Byforming the insulation in a pipe-coupling of the form in mandrel with avery long taper I am enabled which the ring of insulating material prolto exert a heavy uniform pressure upon the jects into the interior ofthe pipe-coupling. E insulating material, and thus solidify the Fig. 2shows the method of forming the intesame. The excess of insulatingmaterial is rior insulating-band in arecessed coupling. l carried out bythe tapered portion of the To (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS McCAR'rnY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, Commonwealth of 3 Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes ofMaking Insulators, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has to do with the manufacture of insulating-couplings ofthe kind which are used to insulate from each other the proximatesections of pipe, so that in the case, for example, of water-pipes whichenter and supply a building from a main in the street the portion ofsaid pipes within the building may be insulated from the portionoutside. These insulators are provided with an interior lining ofinsulating material which is compressed to form the inner wall of thepipe-coupling for a portion of its length. This insulating material maybe located in a recess in the metallic portions of the pipecouplings orit may form a ring which projects into the interior of thepipe-coupling. The insulating material forming this inner ring or bandis put in place while in a plastic state and is then subjected topressure and dried or hardened, so that it becomes solidilied and fixedin place. It is desirable in the manufacture of insulators of this kindthat the insulation be subjected to very considerable pressure to insurethat it fills the inter stices of the coupling and to properly set orharden it.

My invention has for its object to provide a new and improved method forforming the plastic insulating material into a band or ring of theproper shape and is equally applicable to insulating-couplings havingthe insulating-ring in a recess or having the insulating-ring projectinginto the interior of the pipe-coupling.

The invention will be fully understood ICS mandrel, as shown at 18. Thecoupling, with the mandrel in it, may then be allowed to stand in thepress for a few minutes While the insulating material is hardening andcooling, if insulating material which is plastic under heat is used. Themandrel 13 is then removed and the two collars 8 and 9 are unscrewed,after which any waste insulating material may be broken away, when itwill be found that a perfectly-formed ring of compressed and hardenedinsulating material has been formed on the interior of theinsulating-coupling.

Referring now to Fig. 2, there is there shown an insulating-couplinghaving formed therein an annular recess 19 by two shoulders 20 and 21,formed directly upon the two coupling members. In this case the collars8 and 9 are employed as bearings for the mandrel 13; but the ring ofinsulation is formed between the shoulders 20 and 21. The process offorming this kind of an insulator is, however, exactly the same, theinsulation being compressed into the recess by means of the taperedmandrel.

What I claim is- The improved process of forming an interior layer ofinsulation in a coupling which consists in inserting a collar in eachend of the coupling to form a shoulder on the insulation, manuallyinserting the insulating material in a plastic state and subjecting thesame to pressure by means of a tapered mandrel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS MCCARTHY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. DIKE, J. HENRY PARKER.

